Signal Strenth VS Signal Quality

[AcWxRadar]

Fortec Star must be doing something goofy in the Merc software because it doesn't work the way that it should per AC's description. My test case was ONN on H2 (actual symbol rate 6616 according to Lyngsat.) When locked, meaning any symbol rate I give it that's good enough to lock it, I get level in the high 80's and quality around 50. Going downward in symbol rate, 6400 is the first value low enough to cause it to lose lock. Immediately, level drops to 40 and quality drops to zero. No middle ground, and no variation other than a step function between locked and not locked.

So, in conclusion, I'm going to say if you specifically have a Mercury II with the same firmware I have, don't bother with the signal level.

Nhulst,

If you were to try the same experiment, but instead of stopping when the signal level drops to 40%, try this instead... Place some aluminum foil over the feedhorn and look at your signal level, then remove the foil and check the signal level again. Do you detect a difference? You should, unless the signal meter on the receiver is quite lame.

If the above test allows you to detect a change in the signal level, then go into USALS and change the satellite orbital position by a couple tenths of a degree at a time and (on the same TP and without the foil over the LNBF but still with your SR set way off in left field somewhere) monitor your signal level as you change the degree position of that particular satellite.

Do you still not detect a change in the signal level? I would think that you would, at least to some extent.


Radar

 

[nhulst]

Nhulst,

If you were to try the same experiment, but instead of stopping when the signal level drops to 40%, try this instead... Place some aluminum foil over the feedhorn and look at your signal level, then remove the foil and check the signal level again. Do you detect a difference? You should, unless the signal meter on the receiver is quite lame.

If the above test allows you to detect a change in the signal level, then go into USALS and change the satellite orbital position by a couple tenths of a degree at a time and (on the same TP and without the foil over the LNBF but still with your SR set way off in left field somewhere) monitor your signal level as you change the degree position of that particular satellite.

Do you still not detect a change in the signal level? I would think that you would, at least to some extent.


Radar

Will give this a try, but it might have to wait until the weekend.

 

[AcWxRadar]

Will give this a try, but it might have to wait until the weekend.

I tried it with my Coolsat just this morning, I can detect the difference. Not as much as I expected, but about 8% on a very low power power signal and enough to know, if I was monitoring it, that I could tell if I was positioned correctly. It was more dramatic with a high power signal, up to a 15% change.

I find that my baseline noise level with the Invacom QPH-031 and a Coolsat 5000 is 69%. I should be testing this without so much cable and any switches to be accurate, but I think that any Coolsat owner may identify with that signal level. That is where any circular polarized signals will drop out.

With a linear polarized signal, and the SR detuned, I could watch the signal level climb as I moved the dish closer to the target. Depending upon the target satellite, it would increase from the base line of 69% to 73-84% depending upon how strong the sat signal was to begin with. So, it does work, IF you are looking for it.

RADAR

 

[AcWxRadar]

Will give this a try, but it might have to wait until the weekend.

Nhulst,

I hope you understand that I am not trying to prove anyone wrong or prove my own ideas right with this discussion. I merely find it to be a very informative and fun research project. I guess I am trying to analyze all of the responses from my own receiver and compare them with other receivers and just try to make sense of it all.

In other words, I am bored as heck and need something to play with! LOL!

I think you understand that.

Radar